Floor mat



March 24, 1931. F. M. WILLIAMS ET AL 1,797,313

FLOOR MAT Filed March 11, 195o la 9 ,/5\ C@ Q G @DD GC@ @O @DCCQQQQP C@ Patented Mar. 24,` 1931` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS M. WILLIAMS ANI) EARL W. COBLE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO FLOOR MAT Application led March 11, 1930. Serial No. 434,908.

This invention relates to a iioor mat of the type which is composed of links of rubber or similar material pivotally connected toether and provided with smooth fiat top and ottom surfaces so that it may be convenientvly used in bath rooms and similar places where it will be trodden upon by people with bare feet.

The general object of the invention is to provide a mat of the type described which is slmple in its construction, which may be manufactured economically, and which will have n a high degree of resiliency.

The invention, inv its present embodiment,

is made up of series of links formed from ex-v truded rubber pivotally connected in contiguous rows and in staggered relation so that the corresponding fiat surfaces of all the links normally lie in the same plane. The links are also provided with interior cavities in order to increase the cushioning effect naturally resulting from the compressibility of the rubber itself.

The nature of the invent-ion and the advan-- tages resulting therefrom will be more speciflcally explained in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the same in detail.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a mat constructed according to the invention.

F ig. 2 is a, longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view illustrating in detail the construction of the links and pivot pivot members 6.

members.

Asshown in the drawings, the mat comprises a series of links 5, preferably formed of extruded rubber, pivotally connected by transverse metallic pivot members 6 soy as to leave spaces 7 between the links. Each 1link has flat top and bottom surfaces with roundedends within which are holes 8 extending horizontally from one edge of the link to the other and constituting bearings for the The diameter of the holes 8 which receive the members 6 are appreciably greater than the diameters of the members 6, so that when resiliency is also aided by providing between the holes 8 one or more additional holes 9 1n each link and separated from the holes 8 and from each other only by comparatively thin webs 10.

Each pivot member 6 has its end portions, which extend without the outermost row of links 5 at each side edge of the mat, angled lengthwise of the respective edge, as shown at 11, and incased in an edge binding strip 12of tubular rubber. One side of eac strip 1s perforated at proper intervals for the pivot members to project through and the angled end portions 12 lie within the hollows of the strips.- The links adjacent the end 11 may be made narrower than the other links, as indicated at 5a in Fig. 1. At each end of the mat, the links are spaced by collars 13.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided a iioor mat which is of simple and economical construction, which is very soft and resilient in its nature and which will provide complete protection against slipping. Reclaimed rubber may be used in manufacturing the mat Without detracting materially from the quality of the product or greatly lessening its durability. The pivot members 6 may be made from 14 gage wirewith good results.

While we have shown and described specifically one embodiment of the invention, it is tobe understood that this vis merely for the purpose of illustration and that various modifications may be made therein without departing materially from the scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim is:

1. In a floor mat, the combination of series of links composed of yieldable material and pivot members connecting said links, each link having holes in'its ends forming bearings for the pivot members, said holes being of greater diameter than the pivot member, so that the bearing portions of the links may be easily flattened under pressure, the top and bottom surfaces of said links being flat with corresponding lat surfaces of the several linksiying in the same pla-ne.

2. In a oor mat, a plurality of links and pivot members connecting the same7 each link being formed of yielding material and having smooth flat top and bottom sur-faces, said link having a hole at each end extending horizontally from one side edge to the other for receiving the pivot member and having also one or more intermediate horizontal holes extending from one side edge to the other and separated from each other and from said rst holes only by comparatively thin Webs.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names to this specification.

FRANCIS M. WILLIAMS. EARL W. COBLE. 

